Chapter Fifty-Four: The Flourishing Business of Medicinal Cuisine

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Flourishing Medicinal Cuisine Business

By the afternoon, most of the carpentry work was finished, and the medicinal cuisine restaurant quickly moved on to laying the flooring. Ruan Qingshuang couldn't sit still. After Qiu Yan left to take Guoguo to school, she called Xu Yun to accompany her to Dan Hongning's Bean Hotpot City to check out the chefs she had chosen.

For the next two days, Ruan Qingshuang spent her time at Dan Hongning's Bean Hotpot City. The popularity of the medicinal dishes far exceeded everyone's expectations, and it did not affect the hotpot business in the slightest. In fact, fewer people eat hotpot in summer, but with the addition of medicinal cuisine, the restaurant attracted even more customers.

Dan Hongning wore a smile that never left his face, his heart full of joy.

Xu Yun was also busy. He used the 150,000 yuan from selling the car to have Qiangzi rent a failing fast-food restaurant in Hongnan District, adjacent to Wenhui District. The location was good, and it required no renovation—just replace the sign with the medicinal cuisine restaurant's name and start operating.

Ruan Qingshuang had no idea about this. Xu Yun didn't let Qiangzi mention it to her. One of Qiangzi's subordinates, Zhao Peng, had graduated from New Oriental Culinary School, so Xu Yun simply had Qiangzi take Zhao Peng and Xiaofei to Hongnan District to manage the branch.

Zhao Peng proved himself capable. With Xu Yun's guidance, he memorized the recipes for the most popular medicinal dishes within half a day and could cook them with skill. The flavors were good enough to earn Xu Yun's approval.

Word spread that Dan Hongning's Bean Hotpot City was serving Sister Shuang's ancestral medicinal dishes and making a tidy profit. Lü Feng and Kong Zhong became eager, each proposing to open a chain store. They could handle the storefronts themselves; all they wanted was Ruan Qingshuang's recipes and secret methods. Like Dan Hongning, they agreed to a fifty-fifty split, willing to hand over half their earnings to Ruan Qingshuang and Xu Yun.

Xu Yun was naturally delighted at this—no investment required, just profit. As soon as he agreed, they began preparations.

At first, Qin Wan'er was worried that Xu Yun was leading Ruan Qingshuang into the underworld, but after observing them for days, she saw no evidence of any illegal activity.

In fact, Lü Feng, who used to get into brawls over construction projects, hadn't caused any major trouble lately. Kong Zhong at the sand yard hadn't had to bail anyone out from the police station, and Dan Hongning was now the epitome of a businessman, never causing trouble at other hotpot restaurants with his men.

So Qin Wan'er refrained from interfering. Perhaps the three men subdued by Qiu Yan weren't so bad at heart.

Of course, though the Three Tigers of South City weren't inherently evil, they weren't saints either. According to Brother Yun, they had dealt with plenty of the former Four Wolves Gang and Axe Club thugs. Some had been subdued and now worked properly under Ruan Qingshuang, while others were beaten into leaving Hedong City altogether. Of course, some bore grudges and joined other big-time gang leaders.

...

A week later, the medicinal cuisine restaurant's renovations were finally complete. Ruan Qingshuang and Xu Yun weren't concerned with auspicious dates, so they didn't consult a fortune-teller—they simply decided to open that evening.

When Sister Shuang opened her business, the Three Tigers of South City would never miss the occasion. Through their connections, word had already spread among the city's influential figures about Ruan Qingshuang's medicinal cuisine restaurant. With the Three Tigers showing support for the respected eldest sister, the place was packed—flower baskets nearly blocked the neighboring store's entrance, but the owner dared not complain, since the guests all looked anything but ordinary.

Xu Yun had not expected the Three Tigers to make such a spectacle of the event. He and Ruan Qingshuang took it as an opportunity for publicity, hoping to attract more attention to the medicinal cuisine—then they could consider the next step: franchising.

Qiu Yan had no interest in such noisy crowds, but seeing the place filled with familiar faces eased her anxiety. At least these people could help keep an eye out for strangers. She had already instructed the Three Tigers to tell their men: if they saw a man with a dark red complexion and a bushy beard, report to her immediately—even in the dead of night.

That afternoon, Qin Wan'er nearly called the police when she saw the lively scene at the medicinal cuisine restaurant after work—it looked like a gang gathering. The guests were clearly not ordinary folks: shaved heads, tattoos, gold chains—the hallmarks of the underworld. But since it was Sister Qingshuang's restaurant, she endured it with a sigh...

Of all the people there, Guoguo was the happiest. Seated at the newly renovated, grand front desk, Dan Hongning promptly placed a red ledger before her and handed over ten thousand yuan as a congratulatory gift, while his men hung a custom-made deer head on the left side of the foyer, declaring it: "A path to wealth!"

Kong Zhong would not be outdone—his ten thousand yuan gift came paired with a half-meter diameter pure copper golden toad, holding a large coin with gold edges in its mouth. Placed at the front desk, it was striking and auspicious!

Though Lü Feng was usually rough, he put real thought into Sister Shuang's grand opening. His gift included the requisite ten thousand yuan and a jade cabbage-carrying elephant, symbolizing "Good fortune and wealth!"

Aside from the three, many others with connections or even more distant ties—anyone from the social circles—came bearing gifts, never empty-handed!

Guoguo's face was a picture of joy as she collected the money at the front desk, while Qin Wan'er kept rolling her eyes, convinced all this money was dirty.

Hearing about the opening, Qiangzi left Xiaofei and Zhao Peng to mind the branch and hurried over. Seeing the bustling, reborn medicinal cuisine restaurant, he was thrilled—the business at the branch was good, and it would soon recoup the investment.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Guoguo, quick-eyed, stopped Qiangzi as he came in.

Qiangzi grinned at the front desk, greeting Guoguo and Qin Wan'er: "Guoguo, Sister Qin, what are you two doing here?"

Guoguo tapped the ledger with her pen, cleared her throat, and held out her pink hand, rubbing three chubby fingers together: "What do you think I'm doing?"

Qiangzi caught on, quickly pulling out his wallet. He hadn't yet deposited the five thousand yuan from the branch's lunchtime earnings—straight onto the ledger!

"Hey, that's a bit too little," Guoguo remarked, pointing at the Three Tigers. "Each of them gave ten thousand."

"Guoguo, have pity on me," Qiangzi pleaded, looking forlorn. "Look at my car, look at theirs..."

Guoguo waved dismissively: "Alright, alright. Still, they call you Brother Qiang."

No sooner had Guoguo finished than Lü Feng spotted Qiangzi, beckoning him over: "Brother Qiang's here! Haha, come, there are familiar faces—Xiaobu, who helped you with your car last time, is here!"

Qiangzi's eyes lit up. With the Hongnan District branch flourishing and Brother Yun promising him seventy percent of the profits, it was time to upgrade his car. Meeting Xiaobu was perfect; he could negotiate for a better deal and get himself something with a little prestige.

Xu Yun was relaxed about all these people—if they came, they were friends. Dan Hongning brought his three medicinal cuisine chefs, and the small restaurant's kitchen came alive, serving dish after delicious dish.

Guoguo delightedly counted the money, while everyone in the restaurant laughed heartily and showered praise on the medicinal cuisine.

The medicinal cuisine restaurant reopened, ready to conquer the world once more!

A faintly mocking laugh sounded at the entrance. Guoguo quickly looked up, fixing her gaze on an older woman who clearly wasn't there for congratulatory gifts.

Guided by her sixth sense, Ruan Qingshuang looked toward the door, eyes widening: "Aunt Weng, what brings you here?"

"You turned my nice property into this," the woman snorted. "And you still have the nerve for such a grand opening?" She looked around fifty, her skin slightly loose but heavily made-up, with large crystal earrings, a delicate platinum necklace, a jade bracelet on her wrist, and designer clothes that gave her an imposing air.

Ruan Qingshuang's face darkened: "Aunt Weng, it's not like that. The shop was smashed recently—I had no choice but to renovate..."

The woman, whom Ruan Qingshuang addressed as Aunt Weng, replied flatly: "I don't care about your reasons. The contract is clear—without my permission, you changed my property. I have the right to take it back."

What!? Take back the property?

Guoguo's eyes widened as she stood at the front desk. Was this landlady serious?

Ruan Qingshuang tried to explain: "I really didn't mean to—I didn't want this..."

"You even changed the floor tiles?" Aunt Weng smiled coldly. "You really think this is your own property, don't you? Xiao Ruan, it's not that I'm unreasonable—I'm simply following the contract. I'm taking back the property; move out tomorrow."

Ruan Qingshuang was struck as if by lightning. Move out! But to where?

Before she could respond, Aunt Weng raised her voice, addressing everyone in the room: "Everyone listen up! Today, I'm reclaiming this property. If anyone damages anything inside, don't blame me, Weng Qing, for showing no mercy!"

Weng Qing!?

The hundred or so people in South District Two of Hedong City had been chatting and laughing, but suddenly, silence fell. All eyes were drawn to the door, fixed on the elegant older woman.

Xu Yun frowned, emerging from the kitchen. One wave had barely settled before another began—who was this woman?

Qiangzi's jaw nearly hit the floor. How was the wife of Jin Biao, the East District boss of Hedong City, here? And she claimed to own the property. He was surprised to learn the storefront belonged to Weng Qing.

This woman was no ordinary person. Though fifty, she retained enough charm to keep Jin Biao in check. She tacitly allowed Jin Biao to have fun with women, but never permitted him to support one.

Jin Biao had first risen to power through his father-in-law's influence and obeyed his wife in everything. The mighty East District boss dared not keep a mistress, a far cry from Ma Pinghai, the West District boss, who openly embraced four or five lovers. Jin Biao's luck with women was much less.